2010

An incredible 33 years after his birth, an Oxfordshire man you suffered catastrophic injuries during his birth, has been awarded a 5.7 million pounds package in a hospital birth injury claim for compensation.

Ian Murphy was born in the city’s John Radcliffe Hospital in 1977. During his delivery his brain was starved of oxygen, resulting in Ian sustaining a cerebral palsy injury and being confined to a wheelchair from birth.

Ian has been always been supported by his parents, who have given day-to-day care since he was diagnosed with the condition. Ian experiences difficulties in communicating and socialising and it was only when his parents started enquiring about suitable accommodation for when they are no longer able to care for him themselves, that they discovered they were entitled to compensation.

After taking legal guidance, they claimed compensation for medical negligence against the South Central Strategic Health Authority, and in the Royal Court of Justice received an apology for errors made during the delivery and approval of a 5.7 million pounds compensation package.

An NHS manager, who suffered severe brain damage after a delay in the diagnosis of her brain tumour, has had a 4.5 million pounds delayed hospital brain tumour diagnosis compensation claim settled in the High Court.

Frances Bowra (45)of Maidstone, Kent, worked as a chiropody manager, was a volunteer for the charity “Crisis Over Christmas” and a keen dancer and dressmaker when, in 2003, she was taken to Maidstone General District Hospital Accident and Emergency Department after collapsing at home suffering from violent headaches and vomiting.

A delay in diagnosing her brain tumour, and taking her to Kings College Hospital, London, for an emergency operation resulted in Frances’ condition deteriorating, and she now suffers from partial paralysis and visual impairment.

In the High Court, the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust recognised that it had breached its duty of care, and apologised to both Frances and her family for the errors they had made.

A 36-year-old man has received 350,000 pounds in hospital operation debris compensation after part of a latex surgical glove was left in his throat following hospital surgery.

Wayne Williams, from Tooting, London, was taken to St. Georges Hospital in South West London for heart surgery in June 2006, during which a tracheotomy was performed to enable him to breathe.

After the surgery, Wayne experienced difficulties breathing and was referred back to the hospital for throat surgery, during which surgeons discovered a small piece of latex left behind in his trachea.

The latex debris was admitted to not only have been the cause of Wayne’s breathlessness, but had additionally permanently scarring his vocal chords.

St. George’s NHS Healthcare Trust accepted liability for medical negligence and the compensation settlement of 350,000 was agreed.

A former Church of England assistant minister, whose brain tumour was left unattended for three years, is to receive a substantial out of court settlement for undiagnosed brain tumour compensation.

Adrian Underwood, 42, from Birmingham, had been particapting in a theology course in Nottingham in 2001, when he started to suffer severe headaches. He was sent to Nottingham University Hospital, where he underwent a brain scan which revealed a growth inside his skull, but no further action was taken and Adrian was discharged – being told he had nothing more serious than a migraine.

Adrian was unable to complete his course – moving back to Birmingham to take the position of a curate. However, his health continued to worsen, and it was during a medical investigation in 2004 to determine why Adrian was losing his sight that the much enlarged brain tumour was noticed after a scan at Birmingham Eye Hospital.

An emergency operation removed a tumour the size of a lemon, which had forced down on Adrian’s brain and formed a lump in his head. Adrian now suffers from regular fatigue and epilepsy due to this oversight – medical conditions which could have been avoided if the tumour had been removed after the initial scan.

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust acceped liability but did not add any further comment.